From Campsites to Christmas Lights
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Hello, Reader! For the first time in a long time, our calendar is filled with names instead of campgrounds. It's so nice to be home for the holidays and have time to catch up with friends and family who have been cheering us on from afar. Between get-togethers, we're slowly taming the chaos in the new RV. Finding homes for camera gear, favorite hoodies, and that one skillet we use for everything has been like putting together a puzzle. It's a different kind of adventure! Being parked for December has me thinking not just about the miles we covered this year (almost 10,000!), but how all those places and people have reshaped what "home" feels like. While I've been finding homes for coffee mugs and camera gear, I realized that even though I dedicated a whole month to appreciation of the journey, along with my favorite images of the year, I haven't really looked at what this year added up to. So, I did what any curious traveler does: I made a list. And a map graphic. 
This Year by the Numbers
We did not boondock nearly as much as we like because the East Coast just doesn't have the spots available after you leave Florida. 2026 will be a big return to camping in the wild, I suspect! Speaking of Florida, it was easily my favorite overall state because I finally got to spend time with my favorite birds during nesting season! (I may have mentioned this in previous issues, but I make no apologies!) Stories behind the imagesLast month, I shared a gratitude series with many of my favorite images from the year. Instead of repeating those, I thought it would be fun to take you a little further behind the scenes and share some of the stories that happened just outside of the frame. 
We went to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia solely to see the wild ponies. The problem with wildlife is that it pretty much goes where it wants, and when there are 14,000 acres to explore, it can be a guessing game where they might wander. On this day, the park ranger told us to hike a specific trail that would give us a good chance of seeing them. What the ranger left out was that bug spray would be required for survival. Jody bailed out after about 5 minutes, but I was too stubborn to give up and hiked the entire path only to come up empty-handed. After liberally applying bug spray, we tried again and found them not too far from the road, just mugging for the camera. 
When you get together with a bunch of photographers and food is involved, you can be assured the cameras will come out! Luckily, these two were good sports and took the opportunity to shoot my arrangement. Good thing since I was more focused on them! 
Home shows up in all forms. You might be in a more traditional sticks-and-bricks structure, while mine is on wheels and saves me from packing a suitcase when I visit. Home might also be a feeling, like being at home in nature or with family. No matter whether you have roots or wheels, take time to be present in the everyday moments and never take anything for granted. Life is short, so live it fully! Hit reply and tell me: are you traveling or staying put this holiday season? What does home mean to you? What are you looking forward to in the new year? If you enjoy these little glimpses into life on the road, feel free to forward this to a friend who dreams of RV adventures and small-town wanderings. Until next week! Follow me at:
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